


The Heart Wants What it Wants

by BloodunderMoonlight



Series: In Another World [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Will Graham, Episode AU: s02e13 Mizumono, Fluff, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, M/M, Murder Husbands, Season/Series 02, Season/Series 03, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:02:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26907805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodunderMoonlight/pseuds/BloodunderMoonlight
Summary: Will left with Hannibal, leaving their last supper and his old life behind.___Mizumono fix-it and season 3 murder husbandsPart 2 of In Another World. Better read part 1 first *wink*
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Series: In Another World [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1783912
Comments: 4
Kudos: 142





	The Heart Wants What it Wants

  
  
Cascades of snowflakes swirled and fell heavily on the dying field, smothering all sounds and colours and lives. Within an hour after dusk, Wolf Trap was blanketed in boundless paleness.

The only sources of warmth were the dim fire in Will's fireplace and his canine companions. Will hugged them and buried his face onto their furs, trying hard to remember their shapes and scents and sounds. Soon he could no longer hear their excited barks or meet their watery eyes. There would be no more damp, friendly noses nudging his face to wake him in the morning, no more wagging tails and clattering claws following him everywhere. 

They wouldn’t understand. He would never be back this time. He would be gone forever. He had promised them a home, but he could not keep his words.

Will held Buster tight in his arms, who licked his face, whining at his sorrow. Will’s grazed knuckles had healed, but the wounds Randall Tier had given the dog were still swollen and angry. Buster had risked his life to protect him, but he was going to abandon him and all of them.

Will sighed and rubbed his sore eyes. He only hoped they would find a better home, a better owner, at least someone unlike him…

The dogs perked up suddenly and hopped onto their paws. Will glanced at the windows they were looking at, and the grumbling and the blazing light of a car pierced the darkness.

All of the dogs except Winston left him and rushed to the door with excited barks. Quivering at the sudden coldness, Will rubbed his arms and followed them without a thought.

They scratched at the door and he opened it reluctantly. Their visitor was already at his door, petting the dogs dutifully with a small smile which brought warmth to his bereft heart.

He sighed. “Hannibal.”

“Hello, Will.” Hannibal’s face softened further. He had changed his three-piece suit to a relatively casual outfit: a white dress shirt and a grey sweater matching his dark blazer and slacks. He stood in the amber light of the porch, similar to the morning he had knocked at Will’s door and offered him a delicious breakfast. The flavours of egg and the forbidden meat were still on Will’s lips.

How long was it ago? How long had they known each other?

In less than a year he had become a different man. He ailed. He died. He killed. He fell and he fell madly in love. And now with his luggage packed and the dog bowls filled, he was ready to leave with this man he loved, this monster he hated.

He had had a taste of Hannibal’s cruel nature, yet he found it strange to consider Hannibal a killer. Just look at this man, bearing a soft beam, his cheeks slightly flushed at the coldness, and his hair tousled from the winds and adorned with glittering snowflakes. Beautiful and adorable.

“Will?” Hannibal tilted his head. 

Fondness blossomed in Will’s heart. Hannibal’s warm palm touched his cheek, having him leaning into the man’s embrace in utter helplessness. He hid his face on Hannibal’s shoulder. The familiar scent and warmth melted him.

It was so similar to the moment when Will had been in Hannibal’s arms, weeping and quivering and begging him to kill him and leave. Hannibal tightened his arms around Will’s waist. “Is something wrong?” _Have you changed your mind?_

He had asked Will to go back home, feed his dogs, leave a note for Alana. The last chance for Will to reconsider his decision and all the consequences entailed. But Will didn’t.

Will shook his head and forced himself to let go of Hannibal, smiling sheepishly at his clingy act. He let all of them in, closing the door to block the cold, bitter air. 

Hannibal hung his coat next to Will’s. They weren’t leaving immediately. Will’s shoulders relaxed. 

The dogs soon lost interest in their guest as they couldn’t sniff out any sausages on him. Will whistled at them and returned to the fireplace.

Hannibal followed Will. Instead of settling in an armchair or on the sofa, he carefully avoided the dogs’ tails and sat on Will’s right side, their shoulders nudging against each other.

Will looked up with quirked brows. Hannibal only smiled, his legs outstretched at the fire comfortably. Were Hannibal not such a man of courtesy, Will would have said he wouldn't mind him taking off his polished shoes and expensive socks to warmth his feet as well.

Will bit his lip. Hannibal titled his head to inquire about his amusement, but Will refused to explain.

Hannibal looked away, reaching out to pet Max who lied next to him. Max yawned and rested his head on the man’s thigh, smearing his furs all over the dark fabric. The corners of Hannibal’s mouth rose subtly.

Will smiled. “Attached to them?”

“Dogs are lovely companions.” Hannibal scratched Max’s chin. “Their love and loyalty to you are unconditional. No matter how bad you are, they still view you as the best person in the world.”

“I…” Will stared at his knees. The air was so hot and dry that his throat ached. “I feel selfish leaving them.” He let out a dry laugh. “Who says the journey of a serial killer always starts from hurting animals?”

“Humans are animals,” Hannibal said, and Will’s snort widened his smile. “You are a unique creature, Will. You could not be put into any categories.”

The clear pride and admiration in Hannibal’s voice made Will’s heart flutter. He leaned against Hannibal, smiling.

“My mind kept wandering, drifting purposelessly like a lost boat,” he said. “I thought about my father, my childhood, the ports and towns in the South, and my dogs.” He straightened himself to fondle Winston’s fur. “Mostly about them.”

“It is difficult to leave one’s homeland,” Hannibal said, turning his gaze back to Will. “You have many attachments here, but you could only take the memories away with you, which tied to you like a string to a balloon, trying hard to pull you back wherever you went.” He held Will’s hand, stroking his healed knuckles with his thumb. _Stay with me._

“I know where my heart belongs.” Will clung to Hannibal’s hand, raising another hand to cup the man’s cheekbone. The light of fire danced in those captivating eyes. Will felt the tug at his heart again. It was so strong it almost hurt.

“I don’t miss my life before you, and I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of it without you.” He breathed unsteadily. “You spread my ribs, ate my heart, and crawled all the way in. I doubt I could survive separation.”

Hannibal tightened his grip at the last word. It was as if it could become a wrathful wave crushing them and ripping them apart, scattering them in the dark, unforgiving sea.

“I thought about you every night when you were incarcerated,” Hannibal said. “I looked at your chair and imagined you were there—we talked about the cases, your past, your dogs, or we simply sat there and enjoyed each other’s company—but it could not soothe the ache inside my chest.”

Will smirked. “You planned everything to throw me in jail but then you set me free just because you felt lonely.”

“I had never wanted to put you behind the bars.” Hannibal shook his head. “You were too close and you weren’t ready yet. It was either that, or killing you.” He held up their entwining hands and kissed Will’s knuckles. Bitterness gleamed in his eyes, half-veiled by his long lashes. 

Will watched, mesmerized, his voice softer than a whisper. “What would you do after killing me?”

“I would consume every part of you.” Hannibal smiled in a grievous way. “And I would leave and try to forget you. My belly would be full but my heart would be hollow forever.”

Hannibal closed his eyes and brought Will’s hand to his chest, pressing Will’s palm against his sternum. It wasn’t pretended, not the submissive look he had put on when Will had pointed his gun at him. He stripped off his mask and suit and bore his vulnerable, human heart.

Will could not breathe, too afraid he would break it with a subconscious twitch of his finger.

Hannibal leaned forth to kiss him, a light brush on his lips with a tender stroke on the back of his hand, enough to daze him and make him chuckle.

Will reclined his head on Hannibal’s shoulder. They petted the dogs, listened to each other’s breathing, and watched the hypnotic dance of the fire, just like an old couple in a peaceful night. Will didn’t ask when they should arrive at the airport or when their plane would take off. He wished he could keep this fragile moment longer, forever.

Eventually Hannibal told him to leave. Will hugged his dogs one by one before stepping out of his house.

They trudged through the heavy snow in silence. Hannibal held Will’s hand firmly. Will kept his eyes only on the dimness ahead of them.

His suitcase wasn’t heavy;he had only packed some clothes and toiletries. Hannibal helped him to put his luggage into the car trunk nonetheless, so he climbed into the car directly. 

It had just been a short walk from his house to the car, but his fingers were already cold and numb. Hannibal sat beside him and took his hands into his warm ones. 

“Are you ready?”

Will looked at their hands and raised his gaze to Hannibal's eyes. He couldn't find a reason to hesitate. 

He nodded, and the car engine started rumbling. He finally allowed himself to look back at his house. His lighthouse receded into the distance, slowly engulfed by the snow and darkness. It would usually make him unnerved, but Hannibal's presence anchored him. He didn't feel lost. He wouldn't be lost anymore.

He placed a hand on Hannibal's thigh. Hannibal flashed him a fond smile.

  
They settled in Paris at first. Hannibal said he needed some time to prepare a stable life for both of them. 

Will didn't really care where to go as long as the man was with him, but once Hannibal told him Florence was where he had become a man, he couldn’t wait to be there as well. 

“You wanted to show me your past.” He smiled and buried his face on Hannibal’s bare chest, taking in the scents of shower gel and sex. “It was a rare gift.”

What did Hannibal look like when he was young? And how did a newborn beast like him walk among the flock, hunting them while learning to hide his claws and teeth under his newly-sewed fleece?

“There are many things I want to show you.” Hannibal combed Will’s curls with his fingers. “We need real, convincing identities if we want to stay in Florence.” 

“I believe you have already found ones.”

“A married couple from the upper class. They are going to Florence next month.” 

Will looked up at Hannibal. “‘A married couple.’”

Hannibal smirked. “Would you like to go on a hunting trip with me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

  
He didn’t expect to see _this_ though.

“A motorbike.” Will gaped at the Triumph Bonneville Hannibal was leaning against.

“Going my way?” Hannibal smirked and tilted his head. A few strands of his bangs fell and covered his dark eye, and with the leather jacket hugging his muscular torso, he looked as deadly as a panther.

Will swallowed and tried to stay still as Hannibal approached him, silhouetted against the street lights. Hannibal’s gloved hand touched his face. He breathed in the scents of leather and smoke, and the man’s breath brushed his lips, making his heart race and heat crawl over his face.

“I, I’ve never expected you would ride a motorbike.” Perhaps it was just a feverish dream his messed-up brain had created. He pinched his thigh secretly. It hurt.

Hannibal evinced a seductive smile. “I could ride other things as well. I could show you if you wanted.” 

Will smirked at the thumb tracing the curve of his lips. “Like riding a horse? Taking me to a castle for a ball?”

Hannibal hummed and lowered his head. “Please forgive me for only having a bike tonight, my prince.”

Will laughed. “A bike would do.”

Hannibal took Will’s hand and walked him to the bike. He helped Will to put on the helmet before wearing his and climbing onto the bike.

Will sat behind Hannibal. Not knowing where he should put his hands on, he touched Hannibal’s waist tentatively like touching a beast’s belly. Hannibal caught Will’s wrists and let him wrap his arms around his waist. 

“Try not to fall off, mongoose.”

Will huffed.

The bike rumbled and they plunged into the shade of the city. 

Winds howled at Will’s ears. The headlight from the bike tore the heavy curtains of darkness, revealing the claw-like branches of trees and brick walls of the old houses beside the glittering roads. They turned and drove across the Seine. The brilliant street lights embraced them and rushed past them with bright and fading tails. The renowned Eiffel Tower stood in a distance like a lighthouse shining under the pure-dark sky.

They slowed down and halted in front of a monumental building. Hannibal took off their helmets and kissed Will before taking them to the opulent farewell party of Dr. Roman Fell.

Hannibal took two champagne flutes from a passing tray and gave Will one of them. Will beamed behind his glass, which drew a peck on his cheek. He kissed Hannibal back in return, leaning closer to the man’s embrace. 

They just looked like a pair of lovebirds. No one could see the predators in their eyes searching for their targeted prey. And there he was, drinking and chatting with his guests in the middle of the room, totally unaware of his looming fate.

“I think I know why you like attending these pretentious events,” Will said without looking away from their prey.

Hannibal kissed the corner of Will’s smile. “What do you see, beloved?”

Will glanced at the oblivious flock around them. He stretched his smile wider. “A hunting ground.”

The hand on his waist tightened its grip and Hannibal purred in his ear. If they were in their apartment, Hannibal would have already shoved him onto their bed and devoured him. 

Will pushed off Hannibal’s hand playfully. “It doesn’t mean I don’t hate social meetings anymore. We could just wait at his home but you insisted on coming here.”

Hannibal blinked. “I did not tie you to my bike and force you to be here.”

Will pouted. “You seduced me.”

He turned his face away. It was just a few seconds, a man had already approached them and started ranting about their host, even though neither of them had shown any interest in having a conversation with him.

Will frowned, incredulous at the man’s audacity. Hannibal merely turned his head a bit at the stranger out of politeness, which encouraged the man to flirt with him— _Blink if you agree_. Will inwardly rolled his eyes. He cleaned his throat but that pig didn’t even notice. 

Grinding his teeth, Will grabbed Hannibal’s upper arm to have those maroon eyes back. 

“It’s getting late, _love_.” He showed a sweet smile. “I have to go home before the stroke of midnight, or the magic spell would be broken.”

Hannibal chuckled. “My love for you would never change even if your suit suddenly became a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans covered with dog furs.” He pecked Will’s cheek and bid the man goodbye absentmindedly.

They left the party. Will quickly settled on the motorbike, lifting up his chin to wait for Hannibal to help him with the helmet. 

Hannibal only stroked Will’s face. “Feeling jealous, mongoose?”

“What?”

“You bristle when you are jealous.” Hannibal ran his fingers through Will’s curls like Will really had his hair standing angrily. “Perhaps because someone was trying to steal my attention away from you?”

“I was just annoyed.” Will averted his eyes.. “Even I know that it is rude to criticize your host with other guests. You would definitely kill him and make him an improvised dish if he showed up at your dinner party that way.”

Hannibal’s lips brushed his earlobe, tempting him. “Would you like to go back and lure him out to kill him?”

Will doubted they could make a fine dish with that pig. “We have some bigger fish to catch tonight.”

They wait outside Roman Fell’s apartment building. Fell eventually appeared, merrily drunk.

Will leaned against the motorbike, relaxed, smiling, watching the pig stumbled closer to him.

“ _Bonsoir,_ ” he said.

Before Fell could respond, Hannibal sprang out of the darkness and grabbed him from behind. 

The pleasant crack of bones struck Will’s ears like a music note. He wanted to close his eyes to savour it, but he couldn’t move his gaze away from Hannibal’s wolfish grin.

“ _Bonsoir, mon amour._ ”

  
They prepared the meat and dined in Roman Fell’s apartment.

“I feel like a cuckoo,” Will said, swirling his wine glass. “Occupying someone’s house and eating up everything.”

Hannibal titled his head. “Cuckoo would not eat the ones providing them with the food.”

Will smirked and continued his meal.

There was a soft click from the front door. Fell’s husband was back.

Will looked up from his plate. Hannibal only smiled at him, talking another slice of the liver. _Your turn, mongoose._

Will put down his silverware and tapped his lips with a napkin—dark blue and flowery;despite his bad reputation, Dr. Fell had a comparable pretentious taste to Hannibal’s. Will twitched his lips and left the table, walking to the doorway of the dining room as the front door swung open. He turned around and pressed his back against the wall.

It would be his third kill, also the first time he wasn’t forced to kill for his life or freedom, the first time he faced an innocent man whose sin was only the rudeness Hannibal had found. He didn’t care if this man was rude or not, and he certainly wouldn’t bother to count his prey in the near future. It was all about the euphoric rush coursing in his veins, the complete control over life and death.

The footsteps drew closer. 

His prey walked right through the doorway, too surprised to see Hannibal sitting at his table to notice Will’s close presence behind him.

Will lunged and hooked his arm around the man’s neck, yanking the man backwards against his chest. The man flailed and writhed and choked. Will loosened his grip just to hear him scream and throttled him again.

Hannibal tutted at Will, eyes narrowed in amusement. “Don’t play with your food, mongoose.”

Grinning, Will snapped his prey’s neck.

  
“You are growing stronger and stronger everyday,” Hannibal murmured on the back of Will’s hand. They had taken a brief shower and settled on the edge of their bed, Will in his shirt only and Hannibal in his bathrobe, planting reverent kisses on Will’s knuckles. “...soon you would not need my protection and could leave the nest on your own.”

Perhaps it was the afterglow of killing or just the wine, Will was blushing terribly at this chaste act, giggling and feeling tipsy.

“Sad that I’m not a fledgling anymore?”

“I am proud of your growth.” Hannibal smiled, bringing his lips to Will’s. “I could not wait for the day when we conquer Troy together.”

“I just want to conquer your heart,” Will breathed.

“You already did.” Hannibal rested his forehead against Will’s.

Will lowered his lashes to hide away from the burning feeling in Hannibal’s eyes. “So…” He laughed to cover his awkwardness. “We’re husband and husband now, huh, Dr. Fell?”

Hannibal mirrored his smirk. “It seems so, Mr. Fell. Would you like to consummate our marriage tonight?” He stroked Will’s face, fingers sliding down from Will’s jaw to his neck and playing with the unfastened button of Will’s collar.

Will tittered. “You haven’t even proposed to me yet.”

Hannibal’s hand stopped. 

“What a clever boy you are,” he purred, looking at Will deeply. To Will’s confusion, he rose and went to the nightstand. He preferred to sleep on this side of the bed, nearer to the door so he could immediately notice and react if any dangers came. The nightstand there was naturally his. Will didn’t have the habit of poking around, unlike Hannibal who liked putting his paws on everything of Will, but that wasn’t important right now. 

Hannibal pulled open the drawer. His back was blocking the view. Will leaned backwards, trying to have a peak, but Hannibal closed the drawer quickly and turned back with something in his hands, something dark and velvet, square and tiny, a box which was too small for anything to fit in ex-except…

Hannibal knelt on one knee, looking up at Will with gleaming eyes like the moment he saw Will walk into his office when he thought Will had died at the hand of a killer.

Will hopped off from their bed and nearly tripped. What, what was happening? Hannibal’s posture and his box… Was, was he...

“I have been finding a suitable moment for this. Perhaps after a six course meal with candles and flowers, or perhaps after a glorious kill when we both were bathed in blood. But you always surprise me.” Hannibal smiled almost shyly and lifted up the lid of the box to reveal a silver-white ring which had no stones but was beautifully carved. It glinted in the light, talking Will’s breaths away.

“I wanted to give it to you in our last supper in Baltimore,” Hannibal said softly.

Will’s lashes trembled. Hannibal held his hand gently and he shuddered at the electrifying touch. 

Their minds collided and conjoined— _They were back into Hannibal’s dining room. Snow fell outside the windows and flame cracked in the fireplace. Hannibal served the lamb and sat opposite to Will, their guest at the head of the table, ready to be butchered. They moved together—Will grabbed Jack and Hannibal drew out a knife, slicing Jack’s throat with a cold, metallic flash. Blood surged into the air. Death sang. Their enemy choked in his last breath. Nothing could stop them now. The world was their to conquer._

Will squeezed Hannibal’s hand. “After we killed Jack.”

Hannibal smiled. “Jack Crawford brought us together. I wanted his death to be the witness to our marriage.”

“A poetic death.” Will lowered his gaze and reached for the ring with his free hand. He touched the band carefully, tracing its delicate carving. How beautiful would it be when painted in blood? “I’m sorry I ruined your plan.”

“You didn’t ruin anything. None of those matters.” Hannibal shook his head. “You are what I only want, whom I truly love. You melt my heart. You tamed the beast inside me. You made me a happy man. I am nothing without you. Marry me, Will.”

Will was already nodding frantically, his voice hoarse and weak. “Yes, yes, Hannibal, yes!”

Elation bloomed on Hannibal’s face. He rose and pulled Will into his arms quickly, kissing Will’s lips and cheeks and hair and ears until they were dizzy from their brimming love. Hannibal pulled away and held Will’s hand again, pressing his lips on the knuckle of Will’s ring finger. 

“May I?”

Will nodded, unable to stop smiling. Hannibal left another kiss there before letting go of Will to pluck out the ring and placed the box on the nightstand. He held Will’s unsteady hand in a firm yet gentle grip, slowly sliding the ring on. It fit perfectly.

How did Hannibal know his size? Had he secretly measured it when Will was fast asleep?

Will chuckled and watched his ring glittered at different angles.

Hannibal wrapped his arms around Will’s waist. Will wanted to kiss his man, his lover, his _fiancé,_ and he wanted to hug him tight and hid his giddy smile on Hannibal’s shoulder, but their eyes captured each other, making it impossible for him to even blink.

Hannibal caressed Will’s face. “Before going to Florence, I would like to take you to Palermo, to the Norman Chapel, to where the praying skull lies.”

Will smiled. He closed his eyes. They stood in the golden cave in which the bells and choir echoed.  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> might write more for this series if I have inspiration!


End file.
